Character Description: Kaworu Nagisa

With Asuka's mental collapse and now with Toji in the hospital, a new child was needed to pilot Unit 02. SEELE made the choice, and an unusual one at that. His name is Kaoru Nagisa, and he is chosen to be the Fifth Child.

From the outset, something seemed very strange about him. For one thing, it seemed he could adjust his Eva synchronization at will, and his relationship with the other pilots seemed off-kilter. Rei was suspicious of him. When the two of them met, all she had to say was, "Identify yourself." When Shinji talked with him, Kaoru seemed wise for one so young, open, and even affectionate. Kaoru seemed to like, perhaps love, Shinji.

Then, for reasons unknown, there was an intrusion on the lower levels of Tokyo-3. Somehow, an Angel had penetrated the defenses and was making its way towards Terminal Dogma, where Adam was kept. Shinji and Unit 01 were sent to stop the invasion. The situation was dire. He had learned from Kaji that if an Angel were to reach Adam, Third Impact would wipe out the human race. Little would he realize, though, that he would be coming face to face with Kaoru...who was controlling Unit 02. Then, when Kaoru raised an AT Field...and Kaoru explained what it really was...it hit. Kaoru was actually Tabris, the 17th Angel (Angel of Free Will). This made the situation even more troubling. Though an Angel, he was still human...and Shinji couldn't decide what to do. Kaoru made his way to Terminal Dogma...and gazed at the one who everyone thought was Adam.

It wasn't the 1st Angel. It was Lilith, the 2nd Angel. Then, Unit 01 closed its hand around him. Kaoru looked towards it...and asked Shinji to kill him. Shinji refused at first...but Kaoru explained that it was either him or humanity: only one of them would survive. If he wasn't killed, stripped of his immortality, humanity would cease to exist. Kaoru loved Shinji too much to have him die. (In the dub, he says "love", while the subtitles say "like".)

So though it tore at his heart...Shinji made Unit 01 crush Kaoru...but having to do so nearly causes Shinji to break down himself.